There is a Single Central Record (SCR) of recruitment and vetting checks in place for staff and others identified as having regular contact with students, including volunteers.

The SCR evidences checks of identity, names, addresses, dates or birth, qualifications required, right to work in the UK, Barred list for children checks, NCTL List of Teachers with a Prohibition Order or Interim Prohibition Order and enhanced DBS clearance.

Volunteers, including governors, who have regular contact with pupils have been DBS checked.

Richmond School & Sixth Form College follows safer recruitment procedures in line with national and LA guidance.

Child Protection

It is Schools duty to ensure that children are cared for and safe both in school and outside of school. All staff receive training in keeping young people safe and child protection procedures. The school has a child protection policy which outlines key information for parents and procedures for staff. The prevention Team is based on school site, this team supports children, young people and families with designated workers.

The school has a Senior Designated Child Protection officer and three other Designated Child Protection Officers.

Senior Designated Child Protection Officer - Mr Dave Clark

Other Designated Child Protection Officers - Mr Steve Speakman

- Mrs Liz Merckx

- Mrs Jenna Potter

Should any person have a concern for a child's safety and health, they can access support by contacting staff in school. Useful contacts are Pastoral Managers; Mrs Bennison, Mrs Hill, Mrs Partridge, Mrs Preston and Mrs Wardale, or indeed any member of staff.

Safeguarding

It is the School’s mission to remain a welcoming school which creates a safe and secure site, where learning can take place at the highest level for all students, and where students are happy and can thrive.

Richmond School is committed to the Safeguarding of young people and adults who have any part to play in the life of the School. The School recognises the crucial part it has to play in educating young people in how to keep safe, employs safer recruitment of staff procedures and ensures all adults employed within the School understand and carry out their responsibilities with regard to working with young people and safeguarding. Our Child Protection procedures also ensure vulnerable young people have access to information and support. The School ensures that thorough checks and evaluations are made of all our actions.

The School is in the process of changing its access arrangements to the site for adults who are not employees. The new procedures will include a secure reception area (due for completion in August 2016) and escorted access to the other buildings of anyone other than staff and students.

Richmond School has its own system in place to record and analyse types, rates and patterns of bullying and harassment. This includes cyber-bullying and prejudice-based bullying related to special educational needs, sex, race, religion and belief, disability, sexual orientation or gender reassignment.

The School uses the Local Authority reporting system to report, monitor, analyse and respond to serious incidents of bullying, harassment, hate incidents or identification of extremist behaviour.

There are rigorous systems in place to promptly follow up any absence from school or from lessons and to manage late arrivals at school,

The school knows how to respond if a child or young person places themselves at risk by leaving the building/grounds.

Richmond School has systems in place to monitor rates, patterns of and reasons for fixed-period and permanent exclusions, and whether they fall within statutory guidance and regulations on exclusions, including the number of people taken off roll in the last year as a result of factors related to behaviour, safety and attendance.

All staff who lead visits have undergone Visit Leader training, (theory) also known as Planning Educational Visits training.

All staff who lead educational visits, outdoor learning and adventurous activities have registered their qualifications and competence with the School’s Educational Visits Co-ordinator EVC and the Local Authority.

The School has appropriate safeguarding arrangements for students undertaking work experience placements and check that any training organisations have appropriate safeguards in place.

There are measures in place to ensure that the school knows the identity and purpose of all visitors to the school so that unknown adults cannot gain unchallenged access to students or to any part of the school site. These measures will be enhanced in September through the provision of a School Reception area at the entrance to the School.

There are measures in place to ensure that students remain safe and appropriately supervised during non-structured times of the day or whilst engaged in outside play.

There are robust arrangements in place for receiving and handing over students at the start and end of the day, including procedures for registering the arrival and departure of children at other times within the school day

The School has a Health and Safety Policy that is implemented fully and that all staff are aware of.

There is evidence of recent Health and Safety inspection reports and action plans. There is also evidence of urgent actions being addressed and resolved by the School’s Senior Leadership Team and, where appropriate, Governing Body.

There is a prioritised risk assessment programme covering all areas of the school, including all significant risks.